Mike Babcock's message to Red Wings: Have fun in Game 7 of Stanley Cup finals

AP Photo Red Wings coach Mike Babcock has been here before. He coached the Anaheim Ducks in Game 7 of the 2003 Cup finals.

DETROIT -- Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals is uncharted territory for all but one player on the Detroit Red Wings.

But coach Mike Babcock has been there before. And he is doing what he can to help alleviate any nervousness his players might feel heading into Friday's do-or-die showdown at Joe Louis Arena with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who are similarly inexperienced in this situation.

Don't fear it, embrace it. It could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. That was Babcock's message Wednesday.

"This is (how) you spend your whole life when you're a kid, at least in Canada," Babcock said. "You're dreaming of scoring the game-winning goal of Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals.

"Now, you've got it. Play and have some fun."

Babcock coached the Anaheim Ducks in Game 7 of the 2003 Cup finals, when they lost 3-0 to New Jersey.

Red Wings defenseman Brian Rafalski played for that Devils team. He also played for New Jersey in Game 7 of the 2001 finals against Colorado.

No other Detroit player has appeared in a finals Game 7, though Ty Conklin was the backup goaltender for Edmonton when the Oilers lost to Carolina in 2006.

"I'd say there are 28 teams sitting at home that would just love to have this opportunity," Babcock said. "This is something that just adds on to your career. For the players, for coaches, for an organization, for everybody. Our players should really enjoy the next couple of days in their preparation so that words like 'fear' don't enter the picture one bit."

Center Kris Draper will be among four players in the lineup seeking their fifth Cup. Nicklas Lidstrom, Kirk Maltby and Tomas Holmstrom the others. In their previous championship runs, only one final series went beyond Game 5 (they eliminated Pittsburgh in Game 6 last year).

"Never have I been in a situation like this in a Game 7, where so much is on the line. And I'm excited about it," Draper said. "There's no reason why we shouldn't be (confident). We're playing in our building."

Detroit is 3-0 at home in this series, 11-1 at Joe Louis Arena overall in the playoffs.

The last time the home team won every game in the finals was that 2003 series between New Jersey and Anaheim. Penguins coach Dan Bylsma was a checking-line forward for the Ducks, under Babcock.

"The USA Today the following morning (after Game 7) had a picture of me and (Devils goaltender) Marty Brodeur with the puck in the air," Bylsma said. "That was my chance (to score) when it was 0-0.

"That's going to happen this next game. There's going to be a chance. There's going to be a play. And there will be a picture the next morning."

For the Penguins, forward Ruslan Fedotenko scored both goals in Tampa Bay's 2-1 Game 7 victory against Calgary in 2004, and forward Craig Adams played for Carolina in its 3-1 victory against Edmonton in the seventh game of the 2006 finals.

Forward Petr Sykora, who likely will miss Friday's game due to a foot injury sustained Tuesday, has played in two Game 7s in the finals -- 2001 with New Jersey and 2003 for Anaheim.

"We're going to have a great crowd. For us, in Detroit and in Michigan, this has been an unbelievable run for our city and for our state, just because of the economy here. Now, we've got to finish it off. Should be fun."

Support for Hossa
Teammates can sense the pressure Marian Hossa is feeling, playing against his former team. Hossa and Henrik Zetterberg each have a team-leading 20 shots, but Hossa has no goals and just three assists.

"Hossa wants to be the guy. There's no doubt," Draper said. "He's a world-class hockey player. He's a clutch hockey player, and he wants to be the difference. We know how bad he wants this.

"Over the next couple of days, if Hossa needs to talk to anybody, we're here to listen. Anything that he needs we're obviously going to do to make sure that everyone comes out and has the game of their lives."

Babcock doesn't believe Hossa is pressing but noted he has played much better at home.

"What an opportunity for him," Babcock said. "This is why he came here."

Quotable
• Babcock, on ticket requests: "My phone's ringing off the hook. Everybody wants a ticket. I don't know where they think we're getting those from."

• Draper, on the need for a fast start: "Just small things, win faceoffs early, get pucks deep. Try to make them play in their end as much as possible early on and continue to do that. Try to wear them down."